A Bleeding Heart
by Black Shadow Fox Shaman
Summary: He felt it... soon it would come to him like it did all people. Closing his eyes he let his mind wander to the past. Don't own Naruto


Sasuke leaned against a wall holding his side. Putting his back to the cold stone he slid down until he was sitting on the ground. He held his wound trying to staunch the blood flow. His brother's lifeless corpse lay a few feet away. Finally his avenging ways were met and his last oath he knew was never going to be put into motion. Leaning his head back he stared up at the gathering storm clouds of the night. The scent of electricity and rain became heavy in the air. His vision was blurring letting him know that he was loosing too much blood too quickly. He didn't even think if she got to him now he could be saved. He could still feeling their chakra signatures heading strait for him. Leaning his head back he sighed softly and remembered.

_Flashback_

_Sasuke was leaning against a tree watching Naruto and Sakura go at it in a sparring match. Sakura was holding her own well against the blonde dobe. Before Sasuke had time to blink Sakura had Naruto on the ground and kunai against his throat._

"_I win this Naruto."_

"_You sure do Sakura-chan."_

_She got up and helped him up. Naruto made a show of dusting himself off. Sasuke would never tell her that he was impressed on how much she had improved while he had been away, but that spar wasn't even a true test of strength considering Naruto was holding back a whole lot of power. Even with as much as Sakura had improved she could never take Naruto on in full Kyuubi mode._

"_Sasuke you okay?"_

_Blinking owlishly he looked up to see the concerned face of his female teammate. Her green eyes shown brightly with the concern. She was about to reach forward but on instinct he caught her hand in mid reach. _

"_I'm fine Sakura."_

_She didn't look convinced. Sasuke shook his head as he dropped her hand. In true Uchiha fashion he presented his back to her before walking away. The sound of soft padded feet followed behind him._

_Scene shift_

_Naruto was sitting at his favorite ramen stand slurping down a bowl of his favorite flavored ramen. Sasuke sat next to him thoroughly disgusted by his best friends' lack of manners. The sudden sound of slurping stopped making Sasuke's brows furrow in confusion wondering what was wrong with the blonde. Looking at Naruto he noticed the shocked and horrified look on his face. Turning to see what he was looking at. Sakura was standing in the doorway. Her clothes were torn and dirty. Blood and dirt were smudged across her cheeks. There was a wound on her shoulder and it was already healed. Most of her shirt was stained an even darker shade of crimson. She must have lost a good amount of blood. In a tight grip she had something white. It looked like an envelope. Sasuke was up in a flash and caught her easily as she started to fall to the floor._

"_Sakura?"_

_Naruto's loud obnoxious voice and all sound seemed to fade into the background. He was caught up in her eyes and it disturbed him. "What happened?"_

_She looked at him tiredly. Her head thumped forward and landed in the corner of his shoulder. Looking down at her hand he prided the letter from her grasp. It was a single line._

'_I'm coming for you.'_

_Sasuke felt his world seem to crumble but he shook it off quickly. Right at that moment he knew that it was time to leave the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Looking down at the precious bundle in his arms. Picking her up carefully, he headed towards his apartment. He knew that he was playing on dangerous grounds now and he couldn't afford to have his brother hurt his friends. Getting to his apartment he laid her down on his bed. He took of her sandals and tucked her in. There was the risk that Itachi would use Sakura against him but now he knew he'd have to leave again. Moving to remove his sandals he curled up beside her not caring that she was covered in blood and dirt. With a care born of concern he wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her against his chest. He'd savor this now for what it was worth because he had a foreboding feeling about how much longer he was going to exist in this world._

_End flashback_

He had left her again and finished this one mission, his life's goal. He looked towards the sky again letting the rain wash down his face. The sky was crying the tears that Sasuke believed he never had. They had dried up after his family's death. Closing his eyes he leaned back again. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a picture, almost identical to the one that he had sitting on his night stand, except Kakashi wasn't present. The three of them were leaning against a just blooming sakura tree. Sakura's hands were laced in his and Naruto's hands. He could almost picture that day. It had been at a sakura blossom festival. They were dressed up in kimonos. The laughter in Sakura's eyes had been unmistakable.

Sasuke knew that was going to be his last regret. Reaching into his other pocket he brought out a small black box. He'd never admit to anyone that he had this ring for years waiting for the right time to come back for her. He figured people would laugh at him for as long as he had been holding onto this thing. His vision was starting to darken. The dull thud of something against the ground made him realized he had dropped the box. Biting back the wave of nausea he reached for the box and picked it up. With care he put it back in his pocket.

The snapping of a twig made him look over with his dimming sight. Pink and green was what caught his attention and orange and black behind that. Inwardly he smiled but it soon vanished.

"Sasuke!" he heard both of them shout as they raced towards him.

Sasuke closed his eyes knowing he didn't have much time. Sakura and Naruto knelt on each side of him. The pink haired girl was emitting a green chakra trying to save him.

"Save your strength… Kura," he breathed softly. "Waste… of… time."

"Sasuke," she breathed softly as she leaned forward.

He felt something warm behind pressed against his lips. The fading Uchiha realized that she must be kissing him to keep his mind off of her healing him. Sasuke knew the truth though, she wouldn't be able to save him. He felt his eyelids droop as the warmth was leaving his body. Before darkness took him he could have sworn he heard her scream his name.


End file.
